Petition to remove Owaisi's speeches from YouTube dismissed

Andhra Pradesh high court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking directions to YouTube to remove controversial speeches of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi from the popular website.

A division bench comprising Sanjay Kumar and L Narasimha Reddy said the court cannot interfere as the matter relates to freedom of expression. The court advised the petitioner to move the YouTube office in New York, if he had any objection to the site's content.

JVS Rama Rao, an advocate, had filed the petition. He claimed that the circulation of the alleged hate speeches over YouTube might create law and order problems.

The petitioner said the speeches were highly inflammatory and hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community.

Akbaruddin Owaisi, a member of the Andhra Pradesh assembly, was arrested Tuesday by the police for having made hate speeches at Nirmal town in Adilabad district.